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Sammlung Perthes Archiv,SPA ARCHPGM328,Forschungsbibliothek Gotha der Universität Erfurt. 72.03.26bPreferred Citation:
Ferdinand von Mueller to August Petermann, 1872-03-26 [72.03.26b]. R.W. Home, Thomas A. Darragh, A.M. Lucas, Sara Maroske, D.M. Sinkora, J.H. Voigt and Monika Wells (eds), Correspondence of Ferdinand von Mueller, <https://vmcp.rbg.vic.gov.au/id/72-03-26b>, accessed September 11, 2025
1
Ms annotation by Petermann: 'Erh. 22. Mai 1872' [Received 22 May 1872]. For a published
version of this letter, see Voigt (1996), p. 110.
26/3/72
Die Expedition von Giles und Carmichael ist seit einigen Wochen auf dem Wege, und
Alles scheint glücklich eingeleitet zu sein.
Bei Absendung einer Kiste an Dr Sonder innerhalb der letzten Tage ist durch ein Versehen
die für Sie bestimmte grosse Karte von Queensland zurückgeblieben. Selbige soll aber
bald in einer neuen Sendung an Hr Dr Sonder befördert werden.
Verehrungsvoll der Ihre
Ferd. von Mueller.
Die Reise von Weyprecht u Payer wird wohl ein Triumphzug zum Pole werden!
Botanic Garden,
26 March 1872.
The expedition of Giles and Carmichael
has been in the field for some weeks,
and everything seems to have started well
2
Ernest Giles’s first expedition, in 1872, financed by his brother-in-law and M; an unsuccessful attempt
to cross to the Western Australian coast from the overland telegraph line. He discovered
the Glen of Palms (today's Palm Valley), Lake Amadeus (named after the King of Spain),
and Mount Olga (named after the Queen of Württemberg, sister of the Russian Czar;
now called Kata Tjuta). Samuel Carmichael accompanied Giles, who named Carmichael
Creek and Carmichael Crag, both in the Northern Territory, in his honour.
3
Giles and two companions travelled overland from Melbourne to Port Augusta, SA, early in 1872. They spent part of May 1872 in Port Augusta, organizing their supplies, before
leaving for lthe Peake Station, the northernmost settlement on the just-constructed overland telegraph
line, 450 miles north of Port Augusta. They headed west from the telegraph line on
12 August 1872.
When dispatching a case to Dr Sonder within the last few days, the large map of Queensland intended for you was inadvertently left behind.
But it is to be sent soon with another dispatch to Dr Sonder.
4
See M to F. von Krauss, 25 March 1872;
Map of Queensland 1872 compiled from the latest official government surveys
(
Brisbane, 1872)
?
The National Library of Australia's digitized version is avalable at
htt
p
://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-231416105
).
Respectfully your
Ferd. von Mueller.
I expect the expedition of Weyprecht and Payer
will be a triumphant march to the Pole!
5
Karl Weyprecht and Julius von Payer led the Austrian Arctic expedition (1872-4), that
discovered and named Franz Joseph Land.